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Many players envision reaching football’s biggest stage, but few have travelled the quixotic road to get there that Doug McNeil of the B.C. Lions has.

From junior college, through three universities, the Arena League and the Baltimore Blaze of the Maryland Flag Football Association, the wide receiver made his way onto the practice roster of the Seattle Seahawks. Tutored by Richard Sherman to play cornerback, encouraged by Ricardo Lockette to perform on special teams and learning the nuances of the receiver position from Doug Baldwin, the versatile McNeil stuck around the National Football League for parts of two seasons, picking up an NFC championship ring with the Seahawks in 2014.

Now a member on the Lions practice roster, McNeil has yet to play a game in the Canadian Football League. It could happen Sunday, when the Lions are in Calgary for the CFL West final against the Stampeders.

McNeil is preparing to suit up as the poor man’s Manny Arceneaux, in the event the inspirational receiver isn’t cleared to go after suffering, a) an apparent concussion and, b) an ankle injury, in last Sunday’s 32-31 semifinal win against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“I know Manny’s a guy who will do whatever it takes to get out here and play,” McNeil said Wednesday. “He’s a leader, and there’s no tougher receiver out there. If he’s not ready, that’s why I’m here.”

Arceneaux, who watched the Lions practise while putting in work on an exercise bike, vows he’ll be ready to play Sunday. He also insists he doesn’t have a concussion, even though the team’s leading receiver fell motionless to the turf after being KO’d by the shoulder of the Blue Bombers’ hard-hitting safety Taylor Loffler on Sunday. Arceneaux had to be aided to the sideline and didn’t return. It was a sombre moment for his teammates.

“Everybody’s just concerned about the collision that took place, as if that overrides every other issue,” Arceneaux said. “Everybody I talk to figures I have a concussion. They don’t believe anything I’m saying. I don’t have a concussion. And my ankle is going to be all right. We’re just taking it one day at a time.”

Plausible denial or not, to be cleared to practise, Arceneaux must go through the CFL’s concussion protocol, which stipulates that he must be symptom-free for 24 hours, cleared to participate in physical exercise without a relapse and able achieve his baseline scores on the King-Devick test.

A timed test developed by American optometrists Alan King and Steven Devick, it measures attention, concentration, eye movement and language function that are affected by a brain injury. Lions players are administered the test before the season begins to establish a baseline score.

Wide receiver Shawn Gore, who was diagnosed with a concussion earlier in the season, missed two games in November, including the West semifinal, after his symptoms returned. Cleared for a second time, Gore was back on the practice field Wednesday.

“I feel really good,” Gore said. “I’ve had two weeks off. And I’ve passed the protocol process. We’ll see where it goes from there.”

Arceneaux maintains he’s never been concussed before, though he admitted to having a headache after the Winnipeg game. A single crutch also stood by his locker room stall. He does admit that he sprained his ankle on the first play of the game, which compromised his ability to make a play on the second. Quarterback Jonathon Jennings’ pass, intended for Arceneaux, was intercepted by defender Chris Randle, leading to Winnipeg’s first touchdown.

“That’s on me. And I owe the team for that,” Arceneaux said. “I was at 20 per cent in that game (he still made four catches for 56 yards). My 40 per cent is some people’s 100 per cent. So I’m working every day to get ready for Sunday.”

An admitted fast healer, Arceneaux is employing newfangled technology — a Game Ready machine, which he purchased himself — to give his ankle recovery a boost. The electro-medical contraption uses pneumatic compression and rapidly circulating cold therapy to ease pain and aid recovery for acute injuries to backs, knees and ankles.

There’s no such device available for a brain injury, however. Still, Arceneaux keeps insisting he doesn’t have one.

Even if he wanted to declare himself ready for Calgary, disregarding the possibility of re-injury, and against the better judgment of the Lions’ medical staff, head coach Wally Buono says it’s a no-go.

“It’s not up to the player, and it’s not up to the coach,” Buono said. “I think that’s the safeguard of the protocol. If a player wants to play, and the medical staff doesn’t feel he’s fit to go after the testing, it doesn’t matter what the player says.”

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